Small town in the Canadian Rockies.

Even though most of my writing is hiking related, I thought now would be the best time to write about my home and the most stunning small town in Canada. Since I'm migrating 20 minutes south (I think?), to a larger, quieter Banff and the fact my parents are FINALLY planning on coming to this wonder in 2019, what better way to revise what I've done, where I am and what I plan to do with them. Oh and I've officially been in Canada for TWO YEARS!

So here goes.

Banff, a small town in the Canadian Rockies in the Bow Valley. Located next to Sulphur Mountain named due to its natural hot springs whose smell matches that of Rotorua, New Zealand. It was found by Canadian Pacific Railway workers, which then was the reason that Banff became a National Park. The CPR then utilized the hot springs, marketing them as a tourist attraction, bringing hoards of travellers into the park. Following this the Fairmont was built as another attraction in this small residence town. From here the town grew, attracting people from all around the world. Business owners then saw the mountains that flanked the town as an opportunity to bring more into the Bow Valley in the winter months and utilize them as ski resorts. To this day they are still used and are world recognized. They even thought to centre Banff's Main Street so that you would have the best views of Cascade Mountain- which now is world recognized by its classic mountain features.

Sunshine Village from Divide

So what is so great about this small town? Why do people come here?

I can't answer for other people, but I can answer my own reasons. Starting with my world trip in 2015-2016. I planned on coming through Canada as I preferred that to America and always wanted to see Vancouver. A friend had been here and lived in Banff for around 6 months and so I asked him what it was like and should I go. An absolute "GO" was his answer. So I did some research (mostly google and Pinterest), to see what this place had in store for me and just seeing the amazing landscape photos I was instantly drawn.

Being that I came here in March so nearing the end of the Winter in the town (by nearing I mean another 2 months to go), it was covered in a blanket of snow and around -10 degrees Celsius but tolerable. The trusty Greyhound bus dropped me right outside the Samesun Hostel (shock horror here). Checking in and sitting on my bed a lively blonde introduces herself as Carly and instantly invites me to join a group of them to go out. I mean I am never one to shy away from making friends so obviously I went. After a week in the hostel I become great friends with her and a couple other guys, just wandering around this town and jumping on a few tours seeing this amazing place. I left Banff with the most amazing memories etched into my brain forever.

Upon arriving back to New Zealand complacent from my travels Carly, myself and the guys kept in contact. Some 4 months later living the tedious day-today life, two of my friends- Carly included- said they were moving to Banff later that year and asked if I would be interested. Since I had these amazing memories and was wanting to escape the normal and not live to work and train 2 hours a day and not truly live my life- I said YES! Hell yes to be exact. SO off I went on December 13th 2016 boarding a plane to Vancouver, with 2 bags, a one way ticket and an open heart excited for what was to come.

View of Rundle Mountain from Tunnel Mountain, near where I first lived.

For me it wasn't snowboarding or skiing that brought me here. But it was something I was passionate enough to learn and dive head first into. I chose to stay jobless for the first month I was here to focus on enjoying this place and diving into the snowboarding life and trying to gain this new talent on a plank of wood. Living with 10 guys and Carly was probably the best thing I could have asked for. No-one was ever lonely and it was endless fun and cuddles on the couch as a group. Not long after arriving, two weeks almost, I was out on Jan 1st night with Carly and some of the guys at a nightclub. I thought this one particular guy was super hot and told Carly this. Carly being Carly isn't the most subtle of people so quickly decided to push me unexpectedly into him. That guy, well he is now my boyfriend Andrew, and wasn't even living here when we met, but instead was in Winnipeg, and decided to move here just under 2 months of knowing me. So he's defiantly a large reason for me staying here.

Cascade ponds located just out of Banff

These days it is only myself and one other from that original group of friends, but since then I have lived in 2 more house, had 2 jobs and made some amazing friends. I have snowboarded a total of 150 days over 2 seasons, torn my deltoid ligament , potentially done something to my ACL, ridden in Revelstoke, Fernie, dog-sled across Spray lakes and attempted to skate on Two Jack Lake, and thats just in the winter time. In the summer I have paddle boarded, canoed and floated on the Bow River, hiked as much as possible, swum in glacial water, road tripped to towns I hadn't been to before, camped in Jasper, Revelstoke, Fernie and in the middle of nowhere near Invermere. I've learnt to rock-climb, attempted to down hill mountain bike and clocked up the kilometres on my hiking boots. I've encountered bears, black and grizzly, had an Elk sleep in my front yard for days on end, been chased by ground squirrels and been death stared by a Marmot. If anyone says they are bored in Banff or the Bow Valley they are obviously blind to the opportunities that literally are outside their front doors (or back as my new place will be).

360 view from Cirque Peak

Literally in my first summer I managed to hike up Tunnel Mountain, Little Beehive, Ha-ling, East End of Rundle, Mt Indefatigueable, Tent Ridge, West Wind Pass, and Mount Fernie and Larch Valley. That was just the first summer! Working almost everyday and in runners! This season I managed to do even more including, Heart Mountain, Ha-ling again, Lady Macdonald, Big Beehive, C-evel cirque, Reed's Ridge, Plain of 6 glaciers, Lake Louise to Lake moraine , Sentinel Pass, Larch Valley, Cirque Peak & Helen Lake, Healy's Pass, Cascade Mountain etc etc. As soon as you think you're starting to even touch the start of the hiking trails around here you soon realize that theres 100 more just around the corner - literally. So far my favourite was Cirque Peak. Hiking here is such different experience to what I had done at home. In New Zealand I would do 3-4 hour return hikes through the bush usually to a just out of the bush clearing at the summit. Here however because it is after all called the Rocky Mountains the summits are a lot rockier. I have learnt to scramble up scree and fall a lot on sharp small rocks. I find it much more challenging not only on the body but on the brain as you have to concentrate a hell of a lot more.

Almost on a daily basis during the warmer hike-able months I get asked, "Where can I go to get amazing photos without everyone around". Sorry to tell you but you can't. If you want the uninterrupted and scenic views you have to go for a walk my friend. An hour minimum. All the accessible places will have everyone whose thinking the same thing as well as those who cannot hike or venture out or families whose kids probably won't want to.

Elk in front of Cascade flanks

Not only do the hoards of people come here for the endless summer (& winter) activities there is a load of wildlife. Literaly, people think this is a "park" aka a zoo, wondering "where are the bears?" and such like "why can't you make them come out?". First thing, it is a NATIONAL PARK which is set up to preserve the natural wonders and maintain the ecosystem and life within it. So said bears? They can wander wherever they damn like, above and below the highway if desired. Or as Bear 122- aka The Boss likes to do, go across train tracks and get hit. There have been times where a black bear decided to hang out in a backyard in the middle of Banff, or two sow grizzlies hanging out enjoying the morning glow at the train station mid tracks. You can walk out your front door and be greeted by a Bull Elk with all his rack, staring back wondering why you're bothering his morning munch. Deer roam free in town scrounging for any human leftovers (which is heavily frowned upon and very irresponsible).In the last year they released a heard of Bison back into the Canadian Rockies in a very isolated sanction of the park, to which some have now bred. Countless ground squirrels, chipmunks, marten and muskrat scrambling around screaming at you. There is always something living and breathing in any directions usually as curious about you as you it.

If the activities and the animals don't draw people here, there is the most spectacular thing about Banff National Park. The Lake and the mountains are breathtaking. The lakes are mostly glacier fed so they have this glittery vibrant presence to them. This is due to the glacier slowing moving across rock, grinding away and creating rock "flour", which is a super fine mineral dust comprised of all the minerals that make up those rocks. This is then carried by water down into the basins or lakes. When light hits the lakes, they then absorb all wavelengths of the IR spectrum except blue/green, which are scattered around- causing the amazing vibrant gatorade colours you see.

Even after two years- you think you've seen all there is as well as the most beautiful, but somewhere you go theres always something that takes your breath away. Always.

Morraine Lake and Valley of Ten peaks

The mountains have this allure to them, they seem tough, rugged and harsh. I prefer when there is a dusting of snow on them as you can see all the rivets and indentations showing you the hard life that it has had. They almost tell a story. Not only this, looking at the large marvels are humbling. They make you feel so small.

I can't speak for tourists and travellers to the park, but for me when I see new mountains I am always in awe. Theres a new story and to how it got its shape. New glaciers hugging the flanks usually followed by falls or lakes which on their own are gorgeous. For example on the first peak of Cascade Mountain while coming down, jumping across boulders I found a weirdly coloured and shaped stone. I stopped and being a super nerd I found that there was in-fact a fossil!! I am pretty sure it was a Trilobite. But my question was "how did it get there?".

I can say over the two years I have seen and done things that I never expected to. I have met millions of peoples at my job all the awe of this place, whether in winter or summer. It really is a wonder and the preservation of the National Park is always in the back of my mind as I want my kids and even their kids to experience what I have and really see what nature has to offer us.

To those thinking of coming here. Don't even hesitate. You wouldn't regret it.